Riuer we did see some ten Italian miles distant On the North-side of Ierusalem I cannot say whether beyond Iordan or no we did see many Towers hauing globes of glistering mettall and that very distinctly the day being cleere also we did see the wals of a City neere the Riuer Iordan and they said that it was Ieriche Further towards the North they shewed vs from farre off a place where they say our Sauiour was baptized by Iohn And they affirme vpon experience had that the water of Iordan taken in a pitcher will very long keepe sweet and that it corrupted not though they carried it into forraigne parts This water seemed very cleere till it fell into a Lake where they say Sodome with the other Cities stood of old before they were burnt by fier from Heauen And the day being cleere we did plainely see and much maruell that the cleere and siluer streame of Iordan flowing from the North to the South when in the end it fell into the said Lake became as blacke as pitch The Friers our guides seriously protested that if any liuing thing were cast into this Lake of Sodom it could not be made to sinke whereas any heauy dead thing went presently to the bottome Also that a candle lighted cannot be thrust vnder the water by any force nor be extinguished by the water but that a candle vnlighted will presently sinke I omit for breuities sake many wondrous things they told vs of the putrifaction of the aire and other strange things with such confidence as if they would extort beliefe from vs. We had a great desire to see these places but were discouraged from that attempt by the feare of the Arabians and Moores for they inhabite all these Territories And I said before that the Arabians howsoeuer subiect to the Turk yet exercise continuall robberies with all libertie and impunitie the Turkes being not able to restraine them because they are barbarous and liue farre from their chiefe power where they can easily flye into desart places Yet these Barbarians doe strictly obserue their faith to those that are vnder their protection And all the Merchants chuseone or other of the Arabian Captaines and for a small pension procure themselues to be receiued into their protection which done these Captaines proclaime their names through all their Cities and Tents in which for the most part they liue and euer after will seuerely reuenge any wrong done to them so as they passe most safely with their goods All other men they spoile and make excursions with their leaders and sometime with their King to the sea side as farre as Ioppa and much further within Land spoyling and many times killing all they meet When we returned from Bethania we declined to the North side of Mount Oliuet and came to the ruines of 71 Bethphage where Christ sent for the Colt of an Asse and riding thereupon while the people cried Hosanna to the Highest and laid branches and leaues vnder his feet did enter into Ierusalem Vpon Friday the seuenth of Iune to wards the euening we tooke our iourney to Bethlehem Iuda and we foure lay consorts the Friars by our consent still hauing the priuiledge to be free from these expences deliuered iointly foure zechines to the Friars ours guides for our charges whereof they gaue vs no other account then they did formerly yet they onely disbursed some small rewards since we went on foot and were otherwise tied to satisfie the Friars of the Monastery vnder the name of gift or almes for our diet there but since they vsed vs friendly we would not displease them for so small a matter We went out of the City by the gate of Ioppa on the West side and so along 72 this line passed by a paued causey beyond Mount Sion and then ascended another Mountaine to Bethlehem 73 Here they shew the Garden of Vvia and the Fountaine wherein Bersheba washed her selfe which at that time was drie And from the place where the Tower of Dauid was seated vpon Mount Sion noted with the figure 6 is an easie prospect into this garden 74 Here they show the Tower of Saint Simion 75 Here is a Tree of Terebinth which beares a fruit of a blacke colour like vnto an Oliue yeelding oyle and vnder this tree they say the Virgine did rest when shee carried Christ to be presented in the Temple For which cause the Papists make their beades of this tree and esteeming them holy especially when they haue touched the rest of the monuments they carry them into Europe and giue them to their friends for great presents and holy relikes 76 Here they shew a fountaine called of the Wise-men of the East and they say that the starre did here againe appeare to them after they came from Herod 77 Here they shew the ruines of a house wherein they say that the Prophet Habakcuk dwelt and was thence carried by the haires of the head to feede Daniel in the Lions Den at Babylon 78 Here they shew the Fountaine of the Prophet Elias and the stone vpon which he vsed to sleepe vpon which they shew the print of his head shoulders and other members which prints haue some similitude but no iust proportion of those members From a rock neere this place we did see at once both Ierusalem Bethlehem 79 Here they shew a Tower and ruines where the Patriarck Iacob dwelt and here againe we did see both Cities 80 Here is an old stately Sepulcher in which they say Rachel Iacobs wife was buried It is almost of a round forme built of stone and lime foure foote high hauing the like couer aboue it borne vp by foure pillars There be two other Sepulchers but nothing so faire and all three are inclosed within one wall of stone 81 Here they shew the Fountaine for the water whereof Dauid thirsted yet would not drinke it when it was brought with the hazard of blood 82 Here the City Bethlehem is seated which then was but a Village hauing no beauty but the Monastery 83 Here the Monastery is seated large in circuit and built rather after the manner of Europe then Asia which the Italian Franciscan Friars called Latines and more commonly Franckes doe possesse but other Christian sects haue their Altars in the Church by speciall priuiledge and the Turkes themselues comming hither in Pilgrimage doe lie within the Church for the Turkes haue a peculiar way by a doore of Iron made of old and kept by them to enter into the Chappell where they say Christ was borne This Monastery seemes strong enough against the sudden attempts of the Turkes or Arabians yet the Friars in that case dare not resist them liuing onely in safety by the reuerence which that people beares to this place and by the opinion of their owne pouerty The greater Church is large and high in which I numbred twenty foure pillars but my consorts being more curious obserued that the pillars were set in foure rankes euery ranke
very deepe and couers all the ground for nine moneths of the yeere yet notwithstanding the vallyes and discents of them lying open to the South Sunne and taking life from the heate thereof are very fruitfull Lastly in generall through all Germany the aboundance of Lakes and Mountaines doth increase this cold of the aire in diuers places except they bee something defended from the same by Woods adioyning and in some places as namely at Heidelberg where the Cities are almost fully inclosed with Mountaines the cold windes in Winter doe more ragingly breake in on that side the Mountaines lve open the more they are restrained and resisted on the other sides As likewise by accident the Sunne beames in Summer reflecting against those Mountaines though in a cold Region are so violently hot as the Cities at that time are much annoyed with multitudes of flies which not onely vex men but so trouble the horses as they are forced to couer them with cloathes from this annoyance The foresaid intemperatenesse of cold pressing great part of Germany in stead of fier they vse hot stoues for remedie thereof which are certaine chambers or roomes hauing an earthen ouen cast into them which may be heated with a little quantity of wood so as it will make them hot who come out of the cold and incline them to swetting if they come neare the ouen And as well to keepe out cold as to retaine the heate they keepe the dores and windowes closely shut so as they vsing not only to receiue Gentlemen into these stoues but euen to permit rammish clownes to stand by the ouen till their wet clothes be dried and themselues sweat yea to indure their little children to sit vpon their close stooles and ease themselues within this close and hot stoue let the Reader pardon my rude speech as I bore with the bad smell it must needes be that these ill smelles neuer purged by the admitting of any fresh ayre should dull the braine and almost choke the spirits of those who frequent the stoues When my selfe first entred into one of them this vnwonted heate did so winde about my legges as if a Snake had twined about them and made my head dull and heauy but after I had vsed them custome became another nature for I neuer inioyed my health in any place better then there This intemperatenesse of cold is the cause that a Lawrell tree is hardly to be found in Germany and that in the lower parts towards Lubeck they keepe Rosemary within the house in eartherne pitchers filled with earth as other where men preserue the choice fruits of the South yet can they not keep this Rosemary when it prospers best aboue three yeeres from withering For this cause also they haue no Italian fruits in Germany onely at Prage I did see some few Orange trees preserued in pitchers full of earth by setting them fourth in the heate of the Summer dayes and after drawing them into houses where they were cherished by artificiall heate And the like fruits I did see at Heidelberg in the Pallatine Electors Garden growing open in Summer but in winter a house being built ouer them with an ouen like a stoue and yet these trees yeelded not any ripe fruit when as at London and many parts of England more Northerly then those parts of Germany we haue Muske Mellons and plenty of Abricots growing in Gardens which for quantitie and goodnesse are not much inferiour to the fruits in Italy Also this cold is the cause that in Misen where they plant vines and in the highest parts of Germany on this side the Alpes where they make wine thereof the Grapes and the wine are exceeding sower Onely the wines vpon Neccar and those vpon the West side of the Rheine are in their kinds good but harsh and of little heate in the stomacke The cherries called Zawerkersen are reasonable great but sower And the other kind called Wildkersen is little and sweete but hath a blacke iuyce vnpleasing to the taste They haue little store of peares or apples and those they haue are little and of small pleasantnesse onely the Muskadel peare is very delicate especially when it is dried And the Germans make good vse of those fruits they haue not so much for pleasure when they are greene as for furnishing the table in Winter For their Peares and Apples they pare them and drie them vnder the Ouen of the stoue and then dresse them very fauorly with Cynamon and Butter In like sort they long preserue their cheries drie without sugar and the greater part of their cheries they boyle in a brasse cauldron full of holes in the bottome out of which the iuce falles into another vessell which being kept growes like marmalade and makes a delicate sauce for all roasted meates and will last very long as they vse it The Italians haue a Prouerb Dio da i panni secondo i freddi that is God giues cloathes according to the colds as to the cold Muscouites hee hath giuen futtes to the English wooll for cloth to the French diuers light stuffes and to Southerlie people stoore of silkes that all Nations abounding in some things and wanting others might be taught that they haue neede of one anothers helpe and so be stirred vp to mutuall loue which God hath thus planted betweene mankind by mutuall trafficke For this must be vnderstood not onely of clother but also of all other things necessary for human life Germany doth abound with many things necessary for life and many commodities to be transported For great Cities and Cities within land of which Germany hath store those argue plenty of commodities to bee transported and these plenty of foode to nourish much people And since that paradox of Cicero is most true that small causes of expence rather then great reuenues make men rich surely by this reason the Germans should bee most rich They neuer play at Dice seldome at Cardes and that for small wagers They seldome feast and sparingly needing no sumptuary Law es to restraine the number or costlinesse of dishes or sawces They are apparrelled with homely stuffes and weare their clothes to the vttermost of their lasting their houshold stuffe is poore in gifts they are most sparing and onely are prodigall in expences for drinking with which a man may sooner burst then spend his patrimony They haue Corne sufficient for their vse and the Merchants in the Cities vpon the sea coast export Corne into Spaine aswell of their owne as especially of that they buy at Dantzke They want not Cattle of all kinds but they are commonlie leane and little so are their horses many in number and little in stature onely in Bohemia they haue goodly horses or at least great and heauy like those in Freeseland but I remember not to haue seene much cattle or great heards thereof in the fields of any Towne the reason whereof may be gathered out of the following discourse of the Germans
that hee dwelt among the Idumeans and was robbed by the Sabeans I dare not affirme that he dwelt here but I dare boldly say that I know more then Socretes did euen two things whereas he knew but one first that the Arabians to this day make excursions into these parts robbing the Carauans that goe from Haleppo to Tripoli so as if Iob were aliue and had an hundred thousand head of cattell they were as like to rob him here as in any other place Secondly I know that we passed a sad night in this place and neuer had more need of Iob his patience then here For it happened that one of the women which the leaders of the Carauan vse to haue for their attendance lighting a fire to make ready their supper by chance some sparke or flame brake out of the stones wherewith it was compassed and set the drie hearbs of the field on fire which being neglected at the first did spread it selfe for a great compasse Whereupon the Gouernour of the Prouince dwelling vpon the Mountaine and beholding the fields on fier sent to vs one Ianizary armed onely with a cudgell who fell vpon the men of our Carauan being some hundred in number beating them with his cudgell till they fell vpon the fier with the vpper long garments they vse to weare and so extinguished it In the meane time my selfe and my brother went aside lying out of his sight by the aduantage of a high ground betweene him and vs where wee were astonished to see one man armed onely with a cudgell to beate a hundred men and the very Zantons or Priests armed with swords and many Calliuers The fire being put out we thinking all safe ioyned our selues to the company againe but soone espied our errour for the Ianizare droue vs all before him like so many Calues to appeare before the Gouernour and satisfie him for this damage And if at any time we went slowly hee wheeled his cudgell about his head and crying Wohowe Rooe presently struck them that were next him My brother and my selfe treated with him by the way to giue him a reward that he would dismisse vs but when he gaue this warning we were the first to run from him with laughter to see our men thus driuen like beasts and commending to our selues the honesty of the man who first gaue warning before he struck Then presently assoone as wee did see the Gentleman pacified we returned againe to him with our Muccaro to interpret our words and told him that we were the seruants of a Christian Merchant and had no goods in the Carauan nor any thing to doe with them and offering him a reward so he would let vs returne For we knew that the Turks would take any occasion to oppresse vs as Christians and that the Gouernor would haue dealt worse with the Carauan if he perceiued that Christians were with them Thus we often sled from him when he gaue the said signe of anger for howsoeuer wee offered him a gift yet wee could not otherwise escape his blowes and often we returned to him being pacified offering him a gift to dismisse vs which at last wee obtained giuing him a zechine When we were dismissed wee were in no lesse feare of some violence while wee returned alone and vnarmed to the place where our baggage lay but going forward betweene hope and feare at last we came safe thither and there hid our selues til our consorts should returne who after an howers space returning told vs that the chiefe of the Carauan being the cause of the fire making had paid ten piastri for the damage and the Gouernour swore that if the fire had gone ouer the Mountaine into the plaine field of Corne hee would haue hanged vs all vpon the highest trees on the top of the Mountaine This Tragedy ended wee refreshed our selues with meate and sleepe Vpon Monday early in the morning we set forward and spent eight howers in ascending the Mountaine which was very high but the way easie with many turnings about the Mountaine which of it selfe without manuring yeelded many wilde but pleasant fruits seeming to passe in pleasantnesse the best manured Orchards Vpon the top of the Mountaine we met some horsemen of the Army not without feare of some violence to be offered vs till we vnderstood that they were sent out to purge the high waies of theeues They were armed with Launces Shields and short broad Swords so as a man would haue said they had been the Knights of Amades de Gaule Neither is it vnprobable that those fictions came from the horsemen of Asia since wee did see some mile from Tripoli a Bridge called the Bridge of Rodomont and a Fountaine neere Scandarona called the Amazons Fountaine and many like monuments in these parts When wee had passed the foresaid high Mountaine wee came into a very large and fruitfull Plaine of Corne which was yet vncut-downe Here we refreshed our selues and our beasts with meate resting neere a Fountaine for the Turkes require no better Inne for their beasts and themselues then a Fountaine of cleere water After dinner we went forward in this Plaine and did see some Villages which in this vast Empire are very rare and neere one of these Villages wee did sit downe at night supping and resting in the open field Vpon Tuesday earely in the morning we tooke our iourny and for sixe howers passed in the same Plaine hauing not so much as the shaddow of one tree and came to the City Aman which in the Scripture the second of the Kings the seuenteenth Chapter is called Hamath being some three dayes iourney from Damasco This Citie is of large circuit and pleasantly seated vpon two Hilles for the third Hill of the Castle hath nothing but ruines hauing a Riuer running by it and abounding with Orchards of Palmes and fruitfull trees and neere the same were sixe Villages in sight Here we rested part of this day and the next night the Master of our Carauan hauing businesse in the City neither imported it where we lodged for they haue no publike Innes nor beds in any house nor Cookes but euery man buyes his meate and can dresse it But to the end wee might be ready to goe early with the Carauan in the morning most of vs lodged in poore houses of the Suburbs My selfe and my brother being to sleepe in the yard vpon our owne quilts and the yard declining from the house to the bottome where our beasts were tied wee laid our selues downe vpon the top of the Hill but in the morning found our selues tumbled downe between the feet of the Asses Camels when I could not remember the English Innes without sighing This Citie hath great traffique and aboundeth with necessaries to sustaine life and here our Muccaro bought for vs sower Curds vulgarly caled Mish Mash for two meidines a cheese for sixe three hennes for three meidines twenty eggs for foure meidines Cucumers for three milke for fiue Aqua
my selfe into any part of Ireland with my chiefe strength but I may happen to be as farre from their discent as I shall bee where now I am which maketh me the more loth to forgoe my hold in these parts and yet for all occasions you must not imagine me to be now in the head of a great Army but of some sixteene hundred fighting men of whom there are not halfe English and vpon the newes of Spanish succours I know few Irish that I can reckon ours With this Army I must make my retreat which I resolued to haue left most part in Garrisons all this winter in these quarters and in truth Sir I cannot at this present thinke of a better counsel then that we might goe on with the warre by these Garrisons against Tyrone as wee were determined whether the Spaniards come or no and to make head against them chiefely with meanes out of England By this course they shall giue each other little assistance and if we doe but ruine and waste the traytors this Winter it will bee impossible for the Spaniards to make this people liue by which course I presume it is in her Maiesties power to giue the King of Spaine a great blow and to quit this Country of them for euer If in the checkes the Queene doe not finde the weakenesse of her Army I disclaime from the fault for without a wise honest Muster-master of good reputation to be still present in the Army the Queene in that kinde wil neuer be well serued and vpon those Officers that are I doe continually call for their care in that matter If according to our desire you had sent vs one thousand supplies of shot to the Newrie it had aduanced the seruice more then I can expresse but some you must needs send vs to be able to leaue those garisons strong in winter Most part of these troops I haue here are they that haue stricken all the blowes for the recouerie of the Kingdome and been in continuall action and therefore you must not wonder if they be weake If Sir Henrie Dockwra do not plant Ballishannon I thinke it fit that Sir Arthur Chichester had a thousand men of his List whom I hope we would finde meanes to plant within foure or fiue miles of Dungannon and by boats victuall them commodiously I doe apprehend the consequence of that plantation to be great but till I heare from you againe I wil take no men from Loughfoyle because I am loth to meddle much with that Garrison without direction but I besecch you Sir by the next let me know your opinion I pray you Sir giue me leaue to take it vnkindly of my L President to informe you that Sir Hen. Dockwra hath had greater fauor in the nomination of Captaines thē he for he neuer placed but one whom I displaced after To haue some left to his nomination is more then I could obtaine when the last supply came to me But since it is the Queenes pleasure I must beare this and as I doe continually a great deale more with patience And though I am willing you should know I haue a iust feeling of these things yet I beseech you Sir to beleeue that my meaning is not to contest or to impute the fault vnto you for by God Sir where I professe my loue in the same kind I haue done to you they shall bee great matters that shall remoue me although they may and I desire that I may let you know when they do moue me I do only impute this to my misfortune that I perceiue arguments too many of her Maiesties displeasure but while for her owne sake she doth vse my seruice I will loue whatsoeuer I suffer for her and loue the sentence that I will force from the conscience of all and the mouth of the iust that I haue been and will be an honest and no vnprofitable seruant vnto her I dare vndertake we haue rid my Lord President of the most dangerous rebell of Mounster and the most likely man to haue renewed the rebellion for that night I receiued your letters the rogues did powre aboue three thousand shot into our Campe at which time it was our good fortune to kill Peirce Lacie and some other of their principall men Wee are now praying for a good wind for wee are at our last daies bread if victuals come in time we will not be idle Sir if I haue recommended any into England I am sure it was for no charge for I know none that haue gone from hence but there are many that continue here more worthy of preferment then they therefore I pray Sir let them not be reckoned mine that there challenge any thing for me but whatsoeuer shall please their Lordships I must be contented withall and it shall not much trouble mee for I meane not to make the warres my occupation and doe affect asmuch to haue a great many followers as to bee troubled with a kennel of hounds But for the Queenes sake I would gladly haue her serued by such as I know to be honest men and vnhappy is that Generall that must fight with weapons of other mens choosing And so Sir being ashamed that I haue troubled you so long I desire you to be assured that no man shall loue you more honestly and faithfully then my selfe From the Campe neere Mount Norreys this ninth of August 1601 Yours Sir most assured to doe you seruice Mountioy Touching the aboue mentioned distate betweene the Lord Deputy and the Lord President of Mounster his Lordship shortly after wrote a letter to him resenting himselfe in very high tearmes of the wrong he conceiued to be offered him as followeth in his Lordships letter MY Lord as I haue hitherto borne you as much affection and as truely as euer I did professe it vnto you and I protest reioyced in all your good successes as mine owne so must you giue me leaue since I presume I haue so iust cause to challenge you of vnkindnes wrong in writing into England that in preferring your followers Sir Henry Dockwra hath had more power from me then your selfe and consequently to solicite the Queene to haue the nomination of some Captaines in this Kingdome For the first I could haue wished you would haue beene better aduised because vpon my Honour he neuer without my speciall warrant did appoint but one whom I after displaced I do not remember that euer since our comming ouer I haue denied any thing which you haue recommended vnto me with the marke of your owne desire to obtaine it and in your Prouince I haue not giuen any place as I thinke but at your instance For the other I thinke it is the first example that euer any vnder another Generall desired or obtained the like sute And although I will not speake iniuriously of your deserts nor immodestly of mine owne yet this disgrace cannot make me beleeue that I haue deserued worse then any that haue beene
with victuals munition and other necessaries from Dublyn without which we saw it would be to little purpose to take the field But when we had staied there till the sixteenh were not prouided of munition none being come to vs from Dublyn or from Lymricke whether we had likewise sent to haue some brought to vs and wanting both victuals and most of the prouisions belonging necessarily to so great a siege yet to inuest the Town where the Spaniards are lodged from receiuing succours both of victuals and of such as were disposed to ioine with them and withall to auoid the opinion which the Countrey beganne to conceiue of our weakenes because wee did not draw into the field we resolued the sixteenth day to rise and the next day did sit downe within lesse then halfe a mile of the Towne keeping continuall guardes round about the enemy We can assure your Lordships that we doe not thinke our selues much stronger if any thing at all in numbers then they are whose army at their setting to sea did beare the reputation of sixe thousand and we haue cause to iudge them because since our last letters to your Lordships there arriued another ship at Kinsale which brought fiue hundred men more vnto them now to be aboue foure thousand by the Pole In both these points of number in reputation or by Pole they differ not much from ours for it may please your Lordships to consider that the whole force we can draw into this Prouince leauing the Pale Connaght and the North prouided for as it may appeare by this inclosed note they are in some measure doth not exceede in lyst 7000 and of those we are enforced to leaue some part vpon the borders towards Lymricke to be some stay to the whole Countrey and it must in reason be thought that our Companies generally are weake in numbers seeing they haue had no supplies of a long time and that we desire two thousand to reinforce them besides that many are taken out of them for necessary wards some are sicke and many of the Northerne Companies lie yet hurt since the late great skirmishes against Tyrone which they performed with good successe but a little before they were sent for to come hither Wee doe assuredly expect that many will ioine with Tyrone if hee onely come vp towards these parts and almost all the Swordmen of this Kingdome if we should not keepe the field and the countenance of being Masters thereof how ill prouided soeuer wee doe find our selues Wherefore wee most humbly and earnestly desire your Lordships to hasten away at the least the full number of such supplies of horse and foote as we doe write for in our last and that it will please your Lordships to beleeue from vs that if the Countrie should ioyne with Tyrone and make a defection our chiefe securitie will be in the horse we must receiue out of England for the most of these here already are much weakned and harazed out with their continuall employment in euery seruice It may also please your Lordships to consider that in a siege where foure thousand such men as these Spaniards are possessed of any place whatsoeuer there will bee necessarily required royall prouisions and great numbers to force them neither can it bee thought but the sword and season of the yeere will continually waste our Army so as we are enforced earnestly to desire your Lordships while this action is in hand to send vs continuall supplies without which this Army will not be able to subsist And although grieued with her Maiesties huge expence we are loth to propound for so many men as are conceiued to be needefull and profitable for the present prosecution of this dangerous warre yet wee are of opinion that the more men her Maiesty can presently spare to be imployed in this Countrie the more safe and sudden end it will make of her charge And not without cause we are moued to solicite your Lordships to consider thereof since wee now perceiue that we haue an Army of old and disciplined souldiers before vs of foure thousand Spaniards that assuredly expect a far greater supply and much about twenty thousand fighting men of a furious and warlike nation of the Irish which wee may iustly suspect will all declare themselues against vs if by our supplies and strength out of England they doe not see vs likely to prēuaile These Prouincials a few of Carbry only excepted appertaining to Florence Mac Carty do yet stand firme but no better then neutralitie is to be expected from those which are best affected nor is it possible to discouer their affections vntill Tyrone with the Irish Forces doe enter into the Prouince who as the Councell at Dublin write is prouiding to come hither The supplies from Spaine are presently expected If they should arriue before our Army be strengthened out of England or before this Towne of Kinsale be taken it must be thought a generall defection through out the Kingdome wherein wee may not except the Townes will ensue and then the warre will be drawne to a great length and the euent doubtfull If the Queenes ships doe not in time come to Kinsale our taske will bee very heauie with this small Army to force so strong an enemie so well prouided of all necessaries for the warre Wherefore wee humbly beseech the sending of them away which will not onely giue vs a speedie course to winne the Towne but also assure the coasts for our supplies and giue an exceeding stay to the Countrie the enemie fearing nothing more and the subiect desiring nothing so much as the arriuall of her Maiesties Fleete The sixtie lasts of Powder and sixe pieces of battery with their necessaries the victuals and all things else written for in our former letters wee humbly desire may presently bee dispatched hither and although so great a masse of victuals as is needefull cannot bee sent at an instant wee desire it may bee sent as it can bee prouided and directed for the hauen of Corke What wee shall bee able to doe till our supplies come wee cannot say but what we shall haue reason to feare except they come in time your Lordships may iudge Onely wee assure your Lordships that her Maiestie with the helpe of God shall finde wee will omit nothing that is possible to bee done nor shunne any thing that may bee suffered to doe her the seruice wee owe vnto her If in the meane time by all our letters both to the Councell at Dublin and all others in this Countrie to whom we haue occasion to write we giue out these Spaniards to bee in number not three thousand in their meanes scant and miserable in their persons weake and sickely and in their hopes dismayed and amazed we hope your Lordships will conceiue we do that but for the countenancing of our party and to keepe as many as we can from falling from vs. On the other side Don Iean de l'Aguyla the Spanish
the difference of the clyme aire and diet This the Spaniard wittily obserued who hauing got the French Pox sayled into America and did there learne the cure of that disease from those who first infected the Spaniards therewith We praise Physicians especially for experience as Lawyers for diligence desiring to haue an old Physician and a young Lawyer to giue vs counsell and follow our businesse but experience is of seuerall things dispersed through the vniuersall World It is written that of old the AEgyptians had seuerall Physicians for each seuerall disease who would not haue returned more learned from their Lectures Also they laid vp approued remedies of diseases in the Temples of Isis and Vulcane What Scholler then returning from AEgypt should not haue gained great reputation to his skill and we know that opinion many times auaileth with the sicke euen more then the medicine In this sort ambitious men of old by the onely opinion of their experience by seeing the world did obtaine to be numbered among the Gods Iupiter of Creta in Italy Bacchus in the furthest East Hercules in the most remote parts of Africke towards the West planted monuments of their trauels The voyage of the Argonautes the wanderings of Vlisses and AEneas are sung by all Ballad-sellers Alexander the Great passed the monument of Bacchus in the East It were infinite onely to name the Roman Emperours who excelled in this industry For as the Wiseman said that he was a Citizen of the World so the Romans by giuing remote Princes the priuiledge to be Citizens of Rome and by sending Roman Citizens in Colonies to inhabit remote places vsed the whole World for a City neither did they euer admit any to the highest dignities in the City of Rome nor yet to the inferiour Magistrates thereof who had not first borne rule or Office in some remote Prouince One Iulius Caesar came saw and ouercame with his Army among the Cimbrians Germans Spaniards Britans Grecians Africans and those of Asia The very Westerne Emperours of later times haue been enflamed with the same desire Charles the Great made happy warre beyond the Pyrenean mountaines against the Sarrasens beyond the Alpes against the Lombards and in Germany against the Saxons Who hath not heard of the European Princes like so many Floods carrying Armies into the East To omit all other for I desire to be briefe Charles the fifth inferiour to none of his Predecessours and emulous of Hercules himselfe passed his pillars at the furthest straight of the Mediteranean Sea and added to his Armes the Mot of Hercules Non plus vlira No farther beyond this onely leauing out the first word Non because he had passed the limits of Hercules as Alexander the Great had done those of Bacchus Whereby notwithstanding some thinke that he did rather blemish then increase the fame of his trauels since that part of Africke was so neere adioyning to his Kingdomes of Spaine but in the meane time they forget that he was borne at Gaunt in Flaunders Methinkes I haue said enough and too much in so cleere a cause therefore I will onely adde some choyce examples of the holy Scriptures and so conclude Abraham left his Countrey at Gods command and went to the Land of Promise called also the Land of Pilgrimage Iacob serued for his wiues in Mesopotamia and in his old age passed into AEgypt The Israelites were brought by large circuit from the seruitude of AEgypt into the Land of Promise that the protection of God might by aduersity be more imprinted in their minds and they be more stirred vp to keepe the Lawes of so gracious a God The example of a woman the Queen of Sheba is famous who came to Ierusalem to be an eye and eare witnesse of Salomons wisdome To be briefe Christ himselfe liued in the flesh as a Pilgrim choosing no set place of aboad when he was in the Cradle three Wisemen came from the East to worship him and himselfe being an Infant was carried into Egypt to shunne Herods tyranny He commanded his Apostles to preach the Gospell throughout the World Among the Fathers Saint Augustine wished to haue seene three things Christ in the flesh Paul in the Pulpit and Rome in the flower In our Age the Turkes and Papists so madly affect Pilgrimages as they superstitiously thinke the same auaileable to the saluation of their soules with which extreame least I should seeme to know no meane I wil conclude these examples For my part I thinke variety to be the most pleasing thing in the World and the best life to be neither contemplatiue alone nor actiue altogether but mixed of both God would haue made eternall spring had he not knowne that the diuers-seasons would be not onely most profitable to the workes of nature but also most plesant to his creatures while the cold Winter makes the temperate Spring more wished Such is the delight of visiting forraigne Countreys charming all our sences with most sweet variety They seeme to me most vnhappy and no better then Prisoners who from the cradle to old age still behold the same wals faces orchards pastures and obiects of the eye and still heare the same voices and sounds beate in their eares Not the song of the Cuckow nor the craking of the Crowes nor the howling of Wolues nor the bellowing of Oxen nor the bleying of Sheepe no nor the sweet voyces of Larkes and Nightingales if they be shut vp in a Cage doe so much please vs at home as the variety of all composed of diuers tunes delights vs in the fields abroad In like sort it is manifest that all the other sences are not so much pleased with any thing as variety They are in some measure happy who hauing but one house yet haue change of chambers to remoue as the season of the yeere changeth but I iudge Lawyers and Officers more happy who haue their Termes to liue in the City and their Vacations to returne into the Countrey so often as it were renewing their marriage dayes And of all I iudge the Nomades most happy the comparison holding in other things who liue in Tents and so by remouing not onely escape the heat of Summer the cold of Winter the want of pastures all diseases and all vnpleasing things but at their pleasure enioy all commodities of all places Let vs imitate the Storkes Swallowes and Cranes which like the Nomades yeerely fetch their circuits and follow the Sunne without suffering any distemper of the seasons The fixed Starres haue not such power ouer inferiour bodies as the wandring Planets Running water is sweet but standing pooles stinke Take away Idlenes and the bate of all vice is taken away Men were created to moue as birds to flie what they learne by nature that reason ioined to nature teacheth vs. Nothing can be added to the worthy praises of him as the Poet suith Qui Mores hominum multorum vidit vrbes Who many Mens manners hath seene And hath in many
his peace or to speake how little then doth it become him to be so talkatiue as he would hier one to heare him My selfe haue heard many who had scarce seene the Lyone of the Tower and the Beares of Parish-Garden as I may well say in comparison of their small iourneys and experience with other mens so ingrosse all the talke of the Table in relating their aduentures as if they had passed the pillars of Hercules nothing could be asked which they could not resolue of their owne knowledge hauing well learned the precept of Ouid to Louiers Et quae nescieris vt bene nota refer What thou know'st not boldly relate as if thou knew'st thereof the state And this they did with great applause of the ignorant and no lesse derision of experienced men who in their discourse had often found them lyers and well knew that as many hastning out at one gate passe more slowly so vessels full of good liquor sound not so much as the emptie and they who vnderstand much are not so free in imparting it And these be the men who haue branded Trauellers with the tytle of Lyers but a wise man ought to distinguish such sponges from praise-worthie Trauellers For in all arts professions and courses of life some take vpon them the skill and facultie of the best who are commonly most ignorant and impotent therein and it were great iniustice to ascribe the weaken effe of the one to any defect in the other or in the art and course it selfe Therefore Nauita de ventis de Taur is narret Arator Let Marriners of the winds force And Plowmen of their Buls discourse but I would haue a Traueller after his returne like an Orator or Poet so well instructed in all subiects of discourse as nothing should be altogether strange to him yet so discreete also as hee should not but vpon some faire occasion speake of those things whereof he could discourse most eloquently and iudicially And since stale Harlots by this art make their putrified wares saleable how much more shall Trauellers whose discourse more pleaseth in the stomack then in the mouth make the very stones and insensible creatures to daunce and hang vpon their mouthes as they are said to haue been moued by the eloquence and musick of Vlysses and Orpheus CHAP. III. Of the opinions of old Writers and some Prouerbs which I obserued in firraigne parts by reading or discourse to be vsed either of Trauellert themselues or of diuers Nations and Prouinces OLD Writers affirme that the Northerne men in respect of their heate kept in by the cold are generally greater eaters then Southerne men Thus they proue it Because all men haue a better stomacke in Winter then in Summer because Northerne men passing towards the South daily leese their appetite and because both men and beasts of the South are more leane then those of the North. This opinion is of it selfe true but the arguments for proofe admit some exceptions for the Turkes towards the South be fatter generally then our men of the North not that they eate more but that they are Eunuches and giuen to idlenesse I say therefore that the opinion is generally true but by many accidents proues false namely in places which suffer not the extremity of cold in the North or of heate in the South and comparing barren Pastures in the North with fertile pastures in the South and vpon like accidents hindting the true effects The fortitude of the minde and the strength of the body for the same reason they attribute to Northerne men and shew by Histories that hereupon they were euer Conquerours as the Medes against the Assirians the Assirians against the Chaldeans the Greekes against the Persians the Parthians against the Greekes the Romans against the Carthaginians the Gothes aginst the Romans the Turkes against the Arabians the Tartars against the Turkes the English against the French euen in France though the French called in by the English could neuer conquer them Lastly they conclude that the Scythians are most valiant and the best Souldiers of the World The truth is that the Romans were ouerrunne by barbarous people of the North yet not for their want of valour but by their dissention and the vastnesse of their Empire falling with his owne weight yet the same Romans subdued and long held in subiection many Nations of the North as France the Low-Countries and Britanny And no doubt the hope of spoile not valour or strength made the barbarous people ouerrunne the Romans who might haue beene quiet from them if they had been poore No man will fish with a golden hooke for a halfe penny fish Againe the riches of the Romans made them effeminate which likewise incouraged the barbarous people to assaile them But it were fitter to say that wisdome and wit rather then heate or cold make men to be valiant For no man contemnes death or hath due respect of honour but hee with whom reason preuailes more then nature Nature hath his force as the Eagle begets not a Doue but reason rather then nature is the cause that when common Souldiers runne away yet Gentlemen chuse rather to dye then escape by flight Not so much because they are borne of a Noble race as because they will not be a reproach to themselues and their race Not because Gentlemen dye with lesse paine then the common sort but because they better vnderstand that the soule is immortall that he dies in a good cause who fights for his Country and that an honorable death is to be preferred before a disgracefull life In all great Empires valour and learning flourished together and decayed together with the ruines of the Empires following their decay as in those of the Assirians Persians Medes and the Empires more knowne to vs by Histories of the Greekes and Romanes Therefore howsoeuer strength and an innated boldnesse are propagated and come by Nature yet true fortitude is not found in the North nor in the South nor proceedes from nature but where learning flourisheth and cowardise is reputed basenesse and where the word of God teaching the immortality of the soule and the vanities of mortall life most raigneth there men are most valiant Also they affirme that the Southerne men are more wittie and more wise then Northerne because the barbarous Gothes and Northerne people when they got great victories yet could not make true vse of them but lost Prouinces for want of wit and wisedome in as short a time as they got them by their valour and strength Surely variable fortune did exercise and tosse part of the Gothes and vandales yet other part of the Gothes and the Longobards subdued the plaine Country of Italy and these setled a long lasting Kingdome calling it Lombardie And though Hannibal were a Southerne man yet of him after the field woone by him at Canna it was first said Hannibal thou knowest how to ouercome but thou knowest not how to make
vse of thy victorie Besides that wit and wisedome cannot generally be thus ioyned in one subiect except we will graunt that women commonly most wittie are also commonly most wise There is a mediocrity required in wisedome Nolt altum sapere Be not too wise cuen as Salomon aduiseth not to be too lust meaning in outward appearance for the inward man cannot be too iust But mediocrity perhaps will be iudged rather to be found in the inhabiters of the worlds middle regions Againe howsoeuer wee may graunt that the Italians in the founding of their Empire by valiant acts and learned writings left notable markes and euidences of their wisedome yet in our age they may perhaps be preferred to others for some indowments of Nature but must yeeld the preheminence of valour and learning to some other Nations The vaine wisedome of man tires it selfe in vaine while it attributes so many and so great changes in the world to this or that Clime or Starre or any naturall cause rather then to looke backe to the first mouer of all humane things and acknowledge his finger in the disposing of them They affirme that the Northerne people are most cruell and Tacitus accuseth the Germanes Transsilnanians and olde Brittaines of cruelty Bodine disputes wittily against this opinion first because fat men as the Northerne are better men then those who are leane as the Southerne men be and he calls Caesar to witnesse who was not afraid of the fat men Anthony and Dolabella but of the leane men Brutus and Castius In my opinion fat men whose heate is decayed are thereby lesse bold for any great enterprise Onely I admire Luther who alone and weake did wonderfully oppose himselfe to the great multitude of Papists and power of the Popes But I remember that Melancton a leane man and skilfull in the Greeke Hebrew tongues and vniuersally learned did assist him yea the Germanes say that Melancton was more learned and Luther more bold So as according to the course of the world it is likely that Melancton did much in that great worke whereof Luther bare the name Besides that we must attribute the happy and wonderfull reformation of Religion to higher causes then those vnder the Moone namely not to the naturall heate of men but to the boldnesse proceeding from the diuine heat of the holy spirit Bodine affirmes that Northerne men because they are fat are lesse prone to the extremities of good or euill and so concludes them to be lesse cruell which he shewes by examples in that the Carthaginians and other people of the South vsed to pull out eyes to pull off the skinne to burne with a slow fier and to impale or set vpon stakes and to vse like cruelties towards condemned men and that those of America vse to smeare their children with the blood of their enemies whereas on the contrary the Romans were mercifull first beheading condemned men then by the law of percins forbidding Citizens to be beaten with rods after punishing by staruing by banishment In my opinion he might haue added the lenity of the Britans being more northward where the greatest offences are punished with hanging except 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 drawing and quartering are added yet the seuerity thereof is commonly 〈◊〉 by letting them hang till they be dead Bodine addes that Northerne men did alwaies assaile with open force and were soone pacified whereas Southerne men assuled with Fox-like craft and were cruell to those that submitted to them But in the end while he confesseth that the Germans being Northern break the bones of condemned men vpon the wheele and that the Greekes being southerly put to death by 〈◊〉 of the Hemlocke and that in Chios they mingle water to make them die without paine by these contradictions he rather obscures then illustrates that which he would proue For my part while I consider these and like examples so contrary in both kindes together with the great changes of the World in diuers times so as they whom one age were cruell become in another age mercifull While I consider the old in egrity of the Romans when they reproched the Carthaginians to be breakers of faith and find them after to become greater breakers thereof concluding that no faith is to be kept with Heretikes with which note they brand any enemy at pleasure and bringing in diuellish equiuocation the plague of integrity which takes away all faith among men and lastly prouing these things not with words but with fier and sword Vpon these considerations I am induced to conclude not onely for cruelty but for all vices and vertues That Southerne men as more witty if they be good proue best if ill proue worst and that the degrees of good or ill proceed not from wit but from the application of it to good or ill Therefore not the North nor the South but Phylosophicall precepts godly lawes and the knowledge of Gods word or otherwise the wants thereof make men good or ill and where knowledge religion and good lawes flourish there vertues are practised but among barbarous and superstitious people liuing in Cimerian darkenesse all vices haue euer and will for euer flourish Abraham conceiued iust feare lest for his Wiues beauty he should suffer violence and death only because the feare of God was not in those places where he soiourned for this feare of God in himselfe mercifull and so commanding his children to be mercifull doth restraine the most fierce natures from offering any wrong to their neighbours Also Phylosophy did keepe the very Heathen within limits of honesty and Iustice which as the Poet saith Emollit mores nee sinit esse feros Doth soften manners with remorse And keepes them from a furious course In like sort old Writers affirme that Northern men are most perfidious but nothing is more easie then in all sorts of men to find examples of perfidiousnes 〈◊〉 witnesseth that the old Egyptians were naturally most perfidious yet are they most southerly In like sort the Southerne Carthaginians were of old most infamous for treacherous acts On the contrary many Histories taxe northerne men for breaking leagues Also the Northerne Gothes Southerne Spaniards obiected mutuall breaches of faith one to the other Therefore as I said knowledge and religion are the causes of all vertues as ignorance and atheisme or superstition are the causes of all vices neither are these causes hereditary to any clime or nation but are dispersed through the world by supernal distribution diuersly at diuers times They write that Southerne men are rather sparing and frugall then couetous and that Northerne men are prodigall and giuen to rapine but the Egyptian Cleopatra passed the Romans and all others in luxury And at this day nothing can be added to the rapacitie and couetousnesse of the Turks and more specially of those most towards the South daily exercised both against Christians and among themselues And this seemes to be attributed to their corrupt and
ciuill warres I omit the Kings and Queenes Counties namely Ophaly and Leax inhabited by the Oconnors and Omores as likewise the Counties of Longford Fernes and Wicklo as lesse affoording memorable things 3 The third part of Ireland is Midia or Media called by the English Methe in our Fathers memory deuided into Eastmeath and Westmeath In Eastmeath is Drogheda vulgarly called Tredagh a faire and well inhabited Towne Trym is a little Towne vpon the confines of Vlster hauing a stately Castle but now much ruinated and it is more notable for being the ancient as it were Barrony of the Lacies Westmeath hath the Towne Deluin giuing the title of Baron to the English Family of the Nugents and Westmeath is also inhabited by many great Irish Septs as the Omaddens the Magoghigans Omalaghlens and MacCoghlans which seeme barbarous names Shamon is a great Riuer in a long course making many and great lakes as the large Lake or Lough Regith and yeeldes plentifull fishing as doe the frequent Riuers and all the Seas of Ireland Vpon this Riuer lies the Towne Athlon hauing a very faire Bridge of stone the worke of Sir Henry Sidney Lord Deputy and a strong faire Castle 4 Connaght is the fourth part of Ireland a fruitfull Prouince but hauing many Boggs and thicke Woods and it is diuided into sixe Countyes of Clare of Letrim of Galloway of Rosecomen of Maio and of Sugo The County of Clare or Thowmond hath his Enrles of Thowmond of the Family of the Obrenes the old Kings of Connaght and Toam is the seate of an Archbishop onely part but the greatest of this County was called Clare of Phomas Clare Earle of Glocester The adioyning Territory Clan Richard the land of Richards sonnes hath his Earles called Clanricard of the land but being of the English Family de Burgo vulgarly Burck and both these Earles were first created by Henry the eight In the same Territory is the Barony Atterith belonging to the Barons of the English Family Bermingham of old very warlike but their posteritie haue degenerated to the Irish barbarisme The city Galway giuing name to the County lying vpon the Sea is frequently inhabited with ciuill people and fairely built The Northern part of Connaght is inhabited by these Irish Septs O Conor O Rorke and Mac Diarmod Vpon the Westerne coast lyes the Iland Arran famous for the fabulous long life of the inhabitants 5 Vlster the fifth part of Ireland is a large Prouince woody fenny in some parts fertile in other parts barren but in al parts greene and pleasant to behold and exceedingly stoared with Cattell The next part to the Pale and to England is diuided into three Countyes Lowth Down and Antrimme the rest containes seuen Counties Monaghan Tyrone Armach Colrane Donergall Fermanagh and Cauon Lowth is inhabited by English-Irish Down and Antrimme being contained vnder the same name and the Barrons thereof be of the Berminghams family and remaine louing to the English Monaghan was inhabited by the English family Fitzursi and these are become degenerate and barbarous and in the sense of that name are in the Irish tongue called Mac Mahon that is the sonnes of Beares I forbeare to speake of Tyrone and the Earle thereof infamous for his Rebellion which I haue at large handled in the second part of this work Armach is the seate of an Archbishop and the Metropolitan City of the whole Iland but in time of the Rebellion was altogether ruinated The other Countyes haue not many memorable things therefore it shall suffice to speake of them briefely The neck of land called Lecale is a pleasant little territory fertile and abounding with fish and all things for food and therein is Downe at this time a ruined Towne but the seate of a Bishop and famous for the buriall of S Patrick S. Bridget and S. Columb The Towne of Carickfergus is well knowne by the safe Hauen The Riuer Bann running through the Lake Euagh into the Sea is famous for the fishing of Salmons the water being most cleare wherein the Salmons much delight The great Families or Septs of Vlster are thus named O Neale O Donnel wherof the chiefe was lately created Earle of Tirconnel O Buil Mac Guyre O Cane O Dogharty Mac Mahown Mac Gennis Mac Sorleigh c. The Lake Ern compassed with thicke Woods hath such plenty of fish as the fishermen feare the breaking of their nets rather then want of fish Towards the North in the middest of vast woods and as I thinke in the County Donergall is a lake and therein an Iland in which is a Caue famous for the apparition of spirits which the inhabitants call Ellanui frugadory that is The Iland of Purgatory and they call it Saint Patricks Purgatory fabling that hee obtained of God by prayer that the Irish seeing the paines of the damned might more carefully auoide sinne The land of Ireland is vneuen mountanous soft watry woody and open to windes and flouds of raine and so fenny as it hath Bogges vpon the very tops of Mountaines not bearing man or beast but dangerous to passe and such Bogs are frequent ouer all Ireland Our Matriners obserue the sayling into Ireland to be more dangerous not onely because many tides meeting makes the sea apt to swell vpon any storme but especially because they euer find the coast of Ireland couered with mists whereas the coast of England is commonly cleare and to be seene farre off The ayre of Ireland is vnapt to ripen seedes yet as Mela witnesseth the earth is luxurions in yeelding faire and sweete hearbs Ireland is little troubled with thunders lightnings or earthquakes yet I know not vpon what presage in the yeere 1601 and in the moneth of Nouember almost ended at the siege of Kinsale and few daies before the famous Battell in which the Rebels were happily ouerthrowne we did nightly heare and see great thundrings lightnings not without some astonishment what they should presage The fields are not onely most apt to feede Cattell but yeeld also great increase of Corne I wil freely say that I obserued the winters cold to be far more mild thē it is in England so as the Irish pastures are more greene and so likewise the gardens al winter time but that in Summer by reason of the cloudy ayre and watry soyle the heate of the Sunne hath not such power to ripen corne and fruits so as their haruest is much later then in England Also I obserued that the best sorts of flowers and fruits are much rarer in Ireland then in England which notwithstanding is more to bee attributed to the inhabitants then to the ayre For Ireland being oft troubled with Rebellions and the Rebels not only being idle themselues but in naturall malice destroying the labours of other men and cutting vp the very trees of fruits for the same cause or else to burne them For these reasons the inhabitants take lesse pleasure to till their grounds or plant trees content to
shirt till it be worne And these shirts in our memory before the last Rebellion were made of some twenty or thirty elles folded in wrinckles and coloured with saffron to auoid lowsinesse incident to the wearing of foule linnen And let no man wonder that they are lowsie for neuer any barbarous people were found in all kinds more slouenly then they are and nothing is more common among them then for the men to lie vpon the womens laps on greene hils till they kill their lice with a strange nimblenesse proper to that Nation Their said breeches are so close as they expose to full view not onely the noble but also the shamefull parts yea they stuffe their shirts about their priuy parts to expose them more to the view Their wiues liuing among the English are attired in a sluttish gowne to be fastned at the breast with a lace and in a more sluttish mantell and more sluttish linnen and their heads be couered after the Turkish manner with many elles of linnen onely the Turkish heads or Tulbents are round in the top but the attire of the Irish womens heads is more flat in the top and broader on the sides not much vnlike a cheese mot if it had a hole to put in the head For the rest in the remote parts where the English Lawes and manners are vnknowne the very cheefe of the Irish as well men as women goe naked in very Winter time onely hauing their priuy parts couered with a ragge of linnen and their bodies with a loose mantell so as it would turne a mans stomacke to see an old woman in the morning before breakefast This I speake of my owne experience yet remember that the foresaid Bohemian Barron comming out of Scotland to vs by the North parts of the wild Irish told me in great earnestnes when I attended him at the Lord Deputies command that he comming to the house of Ocane a great Lord among them was met at the doore with sixteene women all naked excepting their loose mantles whereof eight or ten were very faire and two seemed very Nimphs with which strange sight his eyes being dazelled they led him into the house and there sitting downe by the fier with crossed legges like Taylors and so low as could not but offend chast eyes desired him to set downe with them Soone after Ocane the Lord of the Countrie came in all naked excepting a loose mantle and shooes which he put off assoone as he came in and entertaining the Barron after his best manner in the Latin tongue desired him to put off his apparrel which he thought to be a burthen to him and to sit naked by the fier with this naked company But the Barron when he came to himselfe after some astonishment at this strange right professed that he was so inflamed therewith as for shame he durst not put off his apparrell These Rogues in Summer thus naked beare their armes girding their swords to them by a with in stead of a girdle To conclude men and women at night going to sleepe lie thus naked in a round circle about the fier with their feete towards it and as I formerly said treating of their diet they fold their heads and vpper partes in their woollen mantles first steeped in water to keepe them warme For they say that woollen cloth wetted preserues heate as linnen wetted preserues cold when the smoke of their bodies hath warmed the woollen cloth CHAP. III. Of the Germans and Bohemians Commonwealth vnder which title I containe an Historicall introduction the Princes pedegrees and Courts the present state of things the tributes and reuenews the military state for Horse Foote and Nauy the Courts of Iustice rare Lawes more specially the Lawes of inheritance and of womens Dowries the capitall Iudgements and the diuersitie of degrees in Family and Common-wealth COnstantine the great made Emperour about the yeere 306 remoued his seate from Rome to Constantinople and at his death deuided the Empire among his children And howsoeuer the Empire was after sometimes vnited in the person of one Prince for his reigne yet it could neuer bee againe established in one body but was most commonly deuided into the Easterne and Westerne Empires In the time of Augustulus Emperour of the West the remote Countries of the Empire recouered their liberty by the sword and barbarous Nations in great armies inuaded the Empire till they possessed Italy so as this Emperour was forced to depose his Imperiall dignity about the yeere 476. And thus the Westerne Empire ceased till Charles the great King of France about the yeere 774 subdued the Lombards and was at Rome saluted Emperour of the West by Pope Leo the third and the Princes of Italy From which time the Empires of the East and West of old deuided by inheritance among brothers and Kinsmen had no more any mutuall right of succession but began to bee seuerally gouerned Histories write that Charles the great King of France was descended of the Germans and that all Gallia Transalpina that is beyond the Alpes and vpper Germany as farre as Hungary were by a common name called France onely deuided into Easterne and Westerne France And the diuers Nations of Germany formerly gouerned by their Kings and Dukes were at this time first vnited vnder this Charles the great About the yeere 911. Conrade the first Ion to the Duke of Franconia a large Prouince of Germany was first out of the race of Charles the great saluted Emperour of the West by the Princes of Germany though Charles the Simple and others of the race of Charles the great still reigned France to the yeere 988 yet with lesse reputation then their progenitors had and troubled with many confusions Thus Germany deuiding it selfe from France drew to it selfe the Empire of the West whereof in our age it retaineth rather the shadow then the old glory Foure Dukes of Saxony succeeded Conrade in this Empire and in the time of Otho the third Duke of Saxony and Emperour contrary to the former custome whereby the Emperours succeeded by right of bloud or the last testament of the deceased Emperour or by the consent of the Princes of Germany the election of the Emperour was in the yeere 984 established hereditary to seuen Princes of Germany called Electors by a law made by the Emperour and the Pope From that time the Empire hath remained in Germany with free election yet so as they most commonly therein respected the right of bloud in which respect the house of Austria hath long continued in the possession of the Empire And the Emperours of Germany for many ages by this right gouerned Italy and receiued their Crowne at Rome till wearied and worne out by the treacheries of the Popes and forced to beare the publike burthen vpon their priuate reuenues they were made vnable to support their former dignity For these causes Rodulphus of Habsburg of the house of Austria chosen Emperour in the yeere 1273 first
then put into the possession of the Dukedome of Milan made league with the Sweitzers and gaue them the foresaide Gouernments in Italy Also Pope Leo the tenth in the yeere 1515 ioyned himselfe to the league made betweene the Emperour Maximilian and Sfortia Duke of Milan and the Sweitzers against the King of France Lastly Pope Clement the eight sitting in the chaire of Rome when I passed through Italy had also league with the Sweitzers But I must come to the hereditary forraigne leagues which onely and no other can truly be called part of the Commonwealth Among the cheefe of them is that of Milan And not to speake of the ancient leagues which some of the Cantons had with the Insubres old inhabitants of Lombardy Galeacius Duke of Milan in the yeere 1466 made a league with eight Cantons wherein mention is made of the said leagues with the Insubres and he granted to the Vrij that they should possesse the Lepontian Valley for which they were to send vnto the Duke yeerely foure Hawkes and a Crosse-bow Moreouer he granted to the eight Cantons that in his Dukedome they should bee free from all impositions and taxes Afterwards these and other heads of that league were confirmed and renewed by the Duke his successours And Ferdinand Gonzaga in the name of the Emperour Charles the fifth confirmed the same in the yeere 1551. And among other heads of that league it is couenanted that it shall be free for the Sweitzers to buy corne yet in time of dearth they may carry none out of the Dukedome onely some 200 bushels shall in that case be sold to them as friends Also cautions are inserted about the buying and carrying of salt and that they shall freely passe to and fro without safe conduct excepting those times in which Sweitzerland shall be infected with the plague and that they shal be free from impositions in all places excepting the city of Milan where they shall pay custome at the gates Lastly that the Sweitzers thus priuiledged shall not take any others to be partners in trafficke with them to the preiudice of the Dukedome and that all such shall be excluded from these priuiledges as haue fled out of the Dukedome whether they liue in Sweitzerland or else where And this league was made to continue foure yeers after the death of the Emperour Charles the fifth and this time expired howsoeuer the league was not for a time renewed yet the Sweitzers enioied all these priuiledges This hereditary league descends to the Kings of Spaine who succeed Charles the fifth in the said Dutchy of Milan and all his possessions in Italy The Sweitzers haue had sharpe warres with the House of Burgundy and long continuing warres with the House of Austria which at last were ended in league and friendship The first warre of Burgundy began in the yeere 1474 the House of Austria vsing the pride ambition of the Dukes of Burgundy to keepe downe the Sweitzers with whom themselues had often fought with no good successe For the cause of the warre sprang from certaine Countries to this end ingaged by Sigismund Duke of Austria to Charles Duke of Burgundy whence the desired expected ielousies grew between them which Lewis the II King of France did nourish bearing a splene to Duke Charles and for that cause did furnish the Sweitzers with money to make that warre And Sigismund Duke of Austria more to incourage the Sweitzers made league with them against the Duke of Burgundy Also the Emperor Frederick of the House of Austria leading an Army against the said Duke did stirre vp the Sweitzers to assaile him But when they had with good successe pierced into Burgundy the Emperour made peace with the said Duke wherein the Sweitzers were not contained so as the Duke turned all his Forces vpon them and not to speake of light skirmishes and fights the maine busines was tried betweene them in three battels wherein the Duke himselfe was in person First at the town Granson where the Sweitzers had the victory but they hauing no horse which could not so soone be sent to them from their confederates and the horse of the Duke defending the foot in their flight few of the Burgundians were killed there Secondly they fought at Morat where they write that 26000 of the Burgundians were slaine And to this day huge heapes of dead bones lie in that place to witnes that great ouerthrow The third battel was at Nancy a City of Lorain where Charles Duke of Burgundy besieged Renatus Duke of Loraine confederate with the Sweitzers and then 8000 Sweitzers 3000 of their confederates sent to helpe them ouercame the Duke of Burgundy and himselfe being killed 〈◊〉 his death gaue an end to that warre in the yeere 1477. After the house of Austria had made many wars leagues for yeers with the Sweitzers at last Sigismund Duke of Austria before the Burgundian warre made an hereditary league with them Lewis the French King mediating the same that hee might draw the Sweitzers to make warre with Charles the proud Duke of Burgundy By this league it was agreed that any controuersies falling they should be put to Arbiters both parts binding themselues to stand to their iudgemēt That al old leagues alwaies preserued they should serue the Duke of Austria in his wars vpon the same pay they haue at home seruing the State On the other side that the possessors should hold all places without calling into question for them That neither part shold ioine in league the subiects of the other or make them free of their Cities That neither part should burthen the other with customes or impositions At this time in the yeere 1474 many neighbour Princes Cities and Bishops did ioine themselues in league for yeeres but the foresaid league with the house of Austria ceased in the time of the Emperour Maximilian the first who made League with the Princes and cities of Germany against the Sweitzers called the great League of Sucura That warre ended Maximilian in the yeere 1511 renewed the former League ioyning therein the house of Burgundy and his grand-child Charles after made Emperour the fifth of that name so vniting all the thirteene Cantons with both those houses and he promised in the name of Charles that he should yeerely pay in the Towne of Zurech two hundred gold crownes to each Canton for a testimony of loue and for the Abbot of Saint Gallus and the Towne and besides for Apenzill he should yeerely giue each of them one hundred Crownes and that he should confirme this league This was done in the yeere 1543 wherein Charles the Emperour renewed the League of Burgundy and his brother Ferdinand succeeding him in the Empire renewed the League of the House of Austria At this time whereof I write the Ambassadour of the King of Spaine resided at Frihurg and Philip King of Spaine sonne to Charles had as I vnderstood by Sweitzers of good credit renewed
priuiledge of age and sex euen where the Parents leaue Children lawfully begotten I returne to the foresaid Prouinces which I said to be vnited in mutuall league for their defence against the Spaniards The said Prouinces at the first breaking out of the ciuill warre when Antwerp was besieged humbly and instantly besought Elizabeth Queene of England to vndertake their patronage and defence and to encourage and giue her more power offered her the Soueraignety of those Prouinces but the most wise Queene with graue counsell and for weighty reasons refused to take them for Subiects Perhaps among other reasons of greater weight fearing lest vndertaking that warre as Queene of the Prouinces most part of the burthen thereof should fall vpon her English subiects thinking it probable that the Netherlanders being a people which had often taken Armes against their Prince of all other things least bearing new taxes and impositions which they professed next the persecution for Religion to be the chiefe cause of this warre would alwaies be apt to stir vp sedition when her Maiesty as their Prince should impose but half the tributes customes which themselues by general consent for loue of liberty haue imposed born with incredible patience during this warre And howsoeuer her Maiesty desired their liberty should be preserued yet the peace betweene England and Spaine howsoeuer shaken by many iniuries on both sides prouoking desire of reuenge notwithstanding was not yet fully broken And it seemes probable to me not knowing those counsels but by coniecture that her Maiesty being a woman the King of Spaine being powerfull and some of her Subiects being alienated from her for the reformation of Religion thought it more wisdome to suffer warre for her iust defence then her selfe openly to beginne the same yet would shee not altogether neglect the afflicted people of those Prouinces but resolued with the States thereof that they should make Count Maurice sonne to the Prince of Orange Generall of their Army gouerning their owne affaires and her Maiesty should professe the defence of that afflicted people with whom England alwaies had strict league of trade and amity till meanes might be vsed for restoring them to the King of Spaines fauour Whereupon at the instant suite of the States the tenth of August in the yeere 1585 her Maiesty granted them an aide of fiue thousand Foot and a thousand Horse to whom her Maiesty was to giue pay during the warre yet so as the Prouinces were bound to make restitution of all her expences when the warre should be composed and for pledge of performance should giue into her Maiesties hands the Towne of Vlishing in Zealand with the adioining Castle of Rammekins to be kept with a Garrison of seauen hundred English foote and the Towne of Brill with some adioining Forts to be kept with a Garrison of 450 English Foot the said Prouinces being bound as I said to make reall satisfaction to her Maiesty at the end of the warre for all expences aswel of the said Forces as of these Garrisons which amounted yeerly to the summe of one hundred twenty six thousand pounds sterling And her Maiesty for the safety of her neighbours bore this intollerable burthen till the yeere 1594 at which time Sir Thomas Bodley Knight her Maiesties Ambassadour for those Prouinces by a new transaction diminished those great expences the wealth of those Prouinces being then much increased aswell by the concourse of Merchants leauing desolate Flanders to dwell in that flourishing State as because they had brought many Countries by right of warre to yeeld them contributions namely all the Sea Coast of Brabant some part of Flanders with the Countries vulgarly called Ommelands Drent Twent Linghen Limbrough and Walkenbrough and had greatly increased their tributes aswel in Holland Zeland Freesland and Vtrecht as in Guelderland Zutphan Dlandt ouer Ysell and lastly had taken many strong Townes of no small moment namely Deuenter Zutphan Nimmenghen Stonwicke Bredaw Hulst Steneberg and Groninghen The state of those Prouinces being as I said thus increased and her Maiesty being forced for many yeeres to keepe a strong army at home to subdue the Irish Rebels her Maiesties Ambassadour at the foresaid time made a new transaction with the States for diminishing the charge of the English Forces seruing them And this helpe so long giuen by her Maiesty to the vnited Prouinces cannot seeme of smal moment For howsoeuer the Queen did not alwaies keepe the full number of the said Forces and sometimes called home or cashiered part of them yet shee did alwaies maintaine the greatest part decreasing or increasing the same according to the necessity of the present affaires and imploied the Forces called home onely in voiages by Sea profitable aswell to the vnited Prouinces as to England and that for a short time of Sommer seruice after sending them backe to serue the States The States who gouerne these Prouinces if they haue made no change in particulars which at pleasure they both can and vse to doe are graue men Counsellors or Burgesses vulgarly called States chosen by the people of each City and Towne not for a limited time but during pleasure and with full power who residing in the chief City of the Prouince haue care all iointly of the prouinciall affaires and each particularly of his Cities or Townes affaires And this Counsell must needes be distracted with diuers opinions arising from the diuers affaires of each Prouince City Town and the seuerall commandements they receiue at home These prouinciall States chuse among themselues one two or three Burgesses for each Prouince according to the condition and capacity of those that are chosen for how many soeuer they be they haue but one voice for their Prouince at generall meetings and these they send to reside at Hage in Holland with like authority as they haue there to gouerne the publike affaires of all the vnited Prouinces and they are called the generall States And as the prouinciall States may be diminished in number or increased according to the occasions of the publike businesse or of any particular meeting and may bee called home by the Citizens who chuse them so the generall States chosen by them to reside at Hage enioy their places vpon like condition And out of these generall States certaine chosen men are made Counsellors to order the affaires of warre and to assist and direct the Generall of the Army therein Others are set ouer the affaires of the Admiralty others ouer the Chauncery of Brabant and others ouer diuers particular Offices I call them Counsellors of the Chauncery of Brabant who manage the affaires of Brabant belonging to Holland This must alwaies be vnderstood that the Burgesses or States of Holland in respect of the dignity of that Prouince many waies increased and inriched aboue the rest haue somewhat more authority and respect then any other but the wheele of the publike State is turned by the Senate of the generall States residing
liue for the day in continuall feare of like mischiefes Yet is not Ireland altogether destitute of these flowers and fruites wherewith the County of Kilkenny seemes to abound more then any other part And the said humility of aire and land making the fruits for food more raw and moyst hereupon the inhabitants and strangers are troubled with loosenes of body the Country disease Yet for the rawnes they haue an excellentremedy by their aquauitae vulgarly called Vsqucbagh which binds the belly and drieth vp moysture more then our Aquauitae yet in flameth not so much Also inhabitants aswell as strangers are troubled there with an ague which they call the Irish. Ague and they who are sick thereof vpon a receiued custome doe not vse the helpe of the Phisitian but giue themselues to the keeping of Irish women who starue the ague giuing the sick man no meate who takes nothing but milke and some vulgarly knowne remedies at their hand Ireland after much bloud spilt in the Ciuill warres became lesse populous and aswell great Lords of countries as other inferiour Gentlemen laboured more to get new possessions for inheritance then by husbandry and peopling of their old lands to increase their reuenues so as I then obserued much grasse wherewith the Iland so much abounds to haue perished without vse and either to haue rotted or in the next spring-time to bee burnt lest it should hinder the comming of new grasse This plenty of grasse makes the Irish haue infinite multitudes of cattle and in the heate of the last Rebellion the very vagabond Rebels had great multitudes of Cowes which they stil like the Nomades droue with them whither soeuer themselues were driuen and fought for them as for their altars and families By this abundance of cattle the Irish haue a frequent though somewhat poore trafficke for their hides the cattle being in generall very little and onely the men and the Grey-hounds of great statute Neither can the cattell possibly bee great since they eat onely by day and then are brought at euening within the Bawnes of Castles where they stand or lye all night in a dirty yard without so much as a lock of hay whereof they make little for sluggishnesse and that little they altogether keep for their Horses And they are thus brought in by nights for feare of theeues the Irish vsing almost no other kind of theft or else for feare of Wolues the destruction whereof being neglected by the inhabitants oppressed with greater mischiefes they are so much growne in number as sometimes in Winter nights they will come to prey in Villages and the subburbes of Cities The Earle of Ormond in Mounster and the Earle of Kildare in Lemster had each of them a small Parke inclosed for Fallow Deare and I haue not seene any other Parke in Ireland nor haue heard that they had any other at that time yet in many Woods they haue many red Deare loosely scattered which seeme more plentifull because the inhabitants vsed not then to hunt them but onely the Gouernours and Commanders had them sometimes killed with the piece They haue also about Ophalia and Wexford and in some parts of Mounster some Fallow Deare scattered in the Woods Yet in the time of the warre I did neuer see any Venison serued at the table but onely in the houses of the said Earles and of the English Commanders Ireland hath great plenty of Birds and Fowles but by reason of their naturall sloth they had little delight or skill in Birding or Fowling But Ireland hath neither singing Nightingall nor chattering Pye nor vndermining Moule nor blacke Crow but onely Crowes of mingled colour such as wee call Royston Crowes They haue such plenty of Pheasants as I haue knowne sixtie serued at one feast and abound much more with Rayles but Partridges are somewhat rare There be very many Eagles and great plenty of Hares Conies Hawkes called Gosse-Hawkes much esteemed with vs and also of Bees as well in Hiues at home as in hollow trees abroad and in caues of the earth They abound in flocks of Sheepe which they sheare twise in the yeere but their wooll is course Merchants may not export it forbidden by a Law made on behalfe of the poore that they may be nourished by working it into cloth namely Rugs whereof the best are made at Waterford mantles generally worne by men and women and exported in great quantity Ireland yeelds much flax which the inhabitants work into yarne export the same in great quātity And of old they had such plenty of linnen cloth as the wild Irish vsed to weare 30 or 40 elles in a shirt al gathered and wrinckled and washed in Saffron because they neuer put them off til they were worne out Their horses called hobbies are much commen ded for their ambling pace beuty but Ireland yeelds few horses good for seruice in war and the said hobbies are much inferior to our geldings in strength to endure long iournies being bred in the fenny soft ground of Ireland are soone lamed when they are brought into England The hawkes of Ireland called Goss-hawks are as I said much esteemed in England and they are sought out by mony all meanes to be transported thither Ireland yeelds excellent Marble neere Dublin Killkenny and Corke and I am of their opinion who dare venture all they are worth that the Mountaines would yeeld abundance of Mettals if this publike good were not hindred by the inhabitants barbarousnes making them apt to seditions and so vnwilling to inrich their Prince Country and by their slothfulnesse which is so singular as they hold it basenesse to labour and by their pouerty not able to beare the charge of such workes besides that the wiser sort think their pouerty best for the publike good making them peaceable as nothing makes them sooner kick against authoritie then riches Ireland hath in all parts pleasant Riuers safe and lange Hauens and no lesse frequent Lakes of great circuit yeelding great plenty of fish And the sea on all sides yeelds like plentie of excellent fish as Salmonds Oysters which are preferred before the English and shel-fishes with all other kinds of Sea-fish So as the Irish might in all parts haue abundance of excellent sea and fresh-water fish if the fisher men were not so possessed with the naturall fault of slothfulnesse as no hope of gaine scarsely the feare of authoritie can in many places make them come out of their houses and put to sea Hence it is that in many places they vse Scots for Fisher-men and they together with the English make profit of the inhabitants sluggishnesse And no doubt if the Irish were industrious in fishing they might export salted and dried fish with great gaine In time of peace the Irish transport good quantity of Corne yet they may not transport it without license left vpon any sudden rebellion the Kings forces and his good subiects should want Corne. Vlster and the